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By Jim Hingst
In Louisiana, red beans and rice is what’s for dinner on Monday.
The reason is that the traditional Sunday dinner was baked ham. The leftovers
including diced pieces of meat and the hambone were cooked with red beans and vegetables
to make the dish. Today, cooks often substitute smoked sausage for the ham.
Red beans and rice not only taste
great, but it makes a healthy meal. Red beans are not only a great source of cheap protein,
they are also high in fiber, which helps regulate blood sugar. Beans are also
high in antioxidants, which can help prevent cancer and heart disease. Combined
with cooked rice, red beans and rice provide your body with the full range of
amino acids that your body needs for muscle growth.
A number of myths explain the
origins of red beans and rice. Some say that the dish originated from the French
Acadians, who migrated from Canada and settled in the swampland of Louisiana. These
settlers, who were called Cajuns, cooked country food.
Others believe that African slaves
created the recipe. As servants on plantations and in the households of the rich
and famous of the time, they had access to more exotic ingredients, such as
tomatoes and spices. Their style of cooking was known as Creole cuisine.
Whether the Cajuns or Creoles
created red beans and rice, may never be decided. Today the is a favorite staple
meal in the Deep South on Monday or any other day of the week.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
(3) 14 1/2- to 16-ounce cans
kidney beans
1 pound smoked Kielbasa
sausage, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 large onion, chopped
2 inner celery ribs w/
leaves, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground black
pepper
1 can diced Italian tomatoes
1 large green bell pepper,
chopped
1 cup canned low-salt
chicken broth
1 tablespoon dried thyme,
crumbled
1 teaspoon Tabasco
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground white
pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups cooked rice
Directions
Soak the dried navy beans in 15 cups of salted water for 24 hours.
After the beans soak, they should double in volume. The salt is essential
in the soaking process. It will help soften the outer skin of the bean and at
the same time prevent the bean from splitting open during cooking. One pound package of dried beans is equivalent to three to four
15-ounce cans of beans. Drain and rinse the beans.
Sauté
onion, celery, green pepper and carrot in olive oil and butter until the onions
are translucent and beginning to caramelize. Then add garlic and sauté until
you can smell it. Be sure not to burn either the onions or garlic.
Lightly
brown the sausage. Mix in the spices and a couple of tablespoons of tomato
paste. Heat for two minutes until you
can smell the fragrance of the spices. Deglaze the pan with broth.
Add
the beans, sauteed vegetables, browned sausage and remaining ingredients to
your slow cooker. Add additional chicken broth as needed.
Cook
on low in a slow cooker until the vegetables are tender and flavors are
blended. Simmer the mixture until it thickens. After tasting, adjust the
seasoning of the dish to your taste.
Remove
the bay leaves and serve the red bean mixture over cooked rice.
Try these other Signpost Recipes
Easy Turmeric Yellow Rice
The Best Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers
The Best Beef and Cheese Enchiladas
Bon Appetite!
© 2021 Jim Hingst, All Rights Reserved
